Apparatus for depositing material under water



March 1944. E. o. MARTINSON APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL UNDER WATER Filed June 24, 1943 4 Sheets-Shget l I [nae/agar Edwzg O/Warzrz 60/2 Max-ch14, 1944. M so I 2,344,446

APEARATUS FOR DEPOSIT'ING'MATERIAL UNDER WATER Filed June 24, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l2 4-4 a 2/ 2/ 2/ 45 416 [lave/2250f Egan OJldZzrzfmsoxz I March 14, 1944. E o, MARHNSON 2,344,446

APPAR ATUS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL-UNDER WATER Filed June 24, 194.3 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiwenor Edw aMarlrwom fiior/ eys.

March 141944. E. o. MARTlNSON 2,344,446

APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL UNDER WATER Filed June 24, 1943 v 4 Sheets-Shee t 4 I IN l'u Patented Mar. 14, 1944 nane APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL UNDER WATER Edwin 0. Martinson, Champaign, 111., assignor to he C. John n Co p y, Champaig 111- a corporation of Illinois Application June 24, 1943, Serial No. 492,048

13 Claims.

The present invention pertains to improvements in apparatus for depositing material under water, that is, to what are commonly known in the art as tremie buckets. Such apparatus is usually employed for depositing mixed concrete at a desired point under water as, for example, in building the poured concrete footings for a dam, bridge pier or the like.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide such a bucket which will dump it's contents upon being hoisted up after having been bottomed under Water but which will not, on the Other hand, dump when the same sequence of setting it down and then hoisting it is performed out of water.

More particularly, 1 have provided a bucket adapted to be suspended from a single line or cable and having a novel operating mechanism such that when the bucket is rested .on bottom when immersed and then pulled up again it will automatically discharge its contents, but if, on the other hand, it is set down at some point out of water and then hoisted the dumping of its contents is automatically and positively prevented. Such characteristic greatly facilitates its handling in that it may be loaded with mixed concrete or other material, set down on a fiatcar for transportation to the water site, and hoisted from the flatcar preparatory to lowering it into the water, all without danger of its dumping or necessity of manual setting or holding-in of latches. Yet when the bucket is thereafter low ered into the water all that need be done to dump it is to let it com to rest on the bottom of the lake or river and then hoist away again, whereupon it automatically dumps. In carrying out the invention I provide, as will hereinafter appear in greater detail, means for unlatching though not opening the bucket closure whenever the bucket is set down, together with immersionresponsive means, in the form of a float-operated linkage, which compels relatching of the bucket closure whenever the bucket is hoisted in nonimmersed condition, and thereby preventing dumping, but permitting hoisting without reexpose the interior arrangement of the parts.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation. of the bucket partially in section along the line 4.4 in

Fig. 5 is afragmentary plan view of the bucket, partially in section, along the line 5-5 in Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentarydetail sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Figs. '7 to 11, inclusive, are stop motion views of the bucket'with a portion of the casing broken away to show the respective positions of the operati-ng linkage, and illustrating the bucket respectively at rest out of water (Fig. '7), suspended out. of water (Fig. .8), suspended under water (Fig. 9) bottomed under water (Fig. 10), and reelevated under water after bottomingthus dump.- ing its contents (Fig. 11)

While the invention is susceptible .of various modifications and alternative constructions, Ihave shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the vappended claims.

Referring more particularly to the exemplary construction, the bucket, that is, the actual receptacle for the mixed concrete or the like which is to be transported by the device, is illustrated as comprising an inner shell Ill and an outer shell or casing H (see Fig.2). The inner shell to is fabricated from plates welded together to form a box-like lower portion 10, terminating in an open bottom at We for gravity discharge of the buckets contents. The two side plates have outturned central portions [0b and vertically extending upper portions Illa. The latter extend as chords across the circular interior of the outer casing I l, forming clearance spaces at opposite sides of the inner shell, between the two shells, for the reception of the operating mechanism (see Fig. 5) The side edges of the portions illa and lb, as well as the curved upper edges of the front and rear plates of the inner shell, are seamed to the outer casing so that a receptacle is formed, the upper portion of which is defined by the two shells and the smaller lower portion by the inner shell alone. v

lhe outer shell or casing ll (Figs. land 2.) is cylindrical in shape and serves not only to coact with the inner shell in forming the receptacle or bucket proper but also forms a protective housing for the operating mechanism of the bucket hereinafter detailed. An annular 'reenforcing frame l2 at the bottom of the casing H allows it to carry the weight of the entire apparatus and contents when bottomed, i, e., rested on the ground, and a disk-shaped cover plate It is fixed to a reenforcing ring M at the top of the casing H. A generally rectangular'opening I5 in the cover l3 affords access to the interior of the bucket for filling the same. Doors l6, carried by hinges H at the side edges of the openings are arranged to swing inwardto closed positions in which they rest on the inclined edges of vertical extensions l8 on the inner shell I!) which project above the cover [3 at opposite ends of the openings l5. The open position of one of the doors I6 is indicated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 3.

Notches ill at opposite ends of the opening l5v aiford clearance for the suspension mechanism.

hereinafter described. Removable cover plates close the portions of the notches 19 not occupied by the suspension mechanism.

A pair of closures or valves, designated generally as 2! (see Figs. 2 and 3) are arranged to close the discharge opening lllc in the bottom of the buckets inner shell I 9. Each of these valves comprises a main closure plate Zia of transversely curved configuration and witha pair of upstanding triangular end plates 2ib rigidly fixed to its opposite ends. Reenforcing webs 2| 0 are fixed to the outer faces of theend plates (see also Fig. 4). The valves 2l' are pivotally supported by means of hubs 22 fixed to, and projecting outward from, the respective end plates 2 lb. These hubs are journaled on shafts 23 received in socket members 24, 25 fixed, respectively, to the opposed side walls of the inner shell In and outer casing H. The valves 2| are thus adapted to swing about respective parallel horizontal axes between the closed position therefor illustrated, for example, in Fig. 10, and the open position thereof shown in Fig.1 1.

The bucket is suspended by a line 26 attached to a bail 21. The bail is mounted for'limited movement in a vertical direction relative to the bucket proper to efiect unlatching and opening of the valves 2i upon, respectively,'slackening and tensiom'ng of the line in a manner hereinafter detailed. As to the mounting of the bail 21. itself, it will be observed upon reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 that the legs of thebail project downward betweenthe inner and outer shells I'll, l I and each such leg has rigidly attached thereto a pair of vertical plates 28, 29. Two pairs of angle irons 3a are located at diametrically opposite sides of the inner shell I0 and are fixed in position between it-and the outer casing H in position to guide the ball 2'! for vertical movement by sliding engagement with the edges of the plate 28 fixed to the latter. Stiffener or tie bars 3| extend transversely between the inner and outer shells H], II at suitably located points beneath the respective ends of the downwardly projecting bail legs. 7

When the line 26 is under tension the bail 21 is upper ends of the latching links 32.

pulled up either to its intermediate position the line 25 is slacked off, the bail 21 is free to descend, relative to the bucket, to its lowermost position shown, for example, in Fig. 7

Attached to the reenforcing plates 23, 29'on the lower ends of each of the depending arms of the bail 2'! are sets of latching and opening links 32,

33, respectively, for each of the valves 2|. Since the linkages (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) on each of the two depending bail arms, or, in other words, at

each end of the valves 2|, are identical, a description of one will suffice for both. The opening links 33 are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on pins 34 extending between the plates 28,29 on the depending leg of the ball 21, as are also the For clearance purposes the latching link 32 for each valve is mounted opposite the opening link 33 for the other valve, rather than opposite the other latching link. When the latching links are swung to their non-latching'position shovsm in Fig. 11 they are thus able to overlap each other.

The lower ends of the opening links 33 are attached by pin-and-slot type lo-s't motion connections indicated at 35 (Fig. 3) with the outer ends of arms 36 which are rigidly attached to the hubs 22 on the valves 2i. When the bail 2-1 is pulled upward to its extreme upper position shown in Fig. 11, the opening links 33 thus swing the valves 2! outward away from each other into their 'open positions. On the other hand, downward movement of the bail 2! is limited by the pins at 35 abutting against the upper ends of the slots in the links 33 which receive them.

The latching links 32 are provided with notches 3'! in their outer edges engageable with coacting latch shoulders at 38. Such shoulders 38 are formed by the edges of longitudinally extending slots formed in cylindrical sleeves 39 rigidly attached to the end plates 2Ib of the respective valves 2!. The sleeves 39 encircle the valve hubs 22 in spaced relation to the same and turn with them since both the hubs and sleeves are rigidlyattached to the valve end plates. When the latch links 32 are engaged with the c'oacting sleeves 39 as shown in Fig. 3, further upward movement of the bail 21 is prevented so that the valves 21 are retained in their closed position. slacking oil the tension in the hoist line 26 permits the bail 21 to drop, thus moving the latch links 32 downward out of engagement with the sleeves 39 (compare Figs. 8 and 7 for these respective positions).

As so far described, the valve-controlled linkage is such that when the bucket is bottomed, that is, set down, the slacking off of the line 26 drops the bail 21 and thus results in unlatching of the valves 2 I. In the event that the latching links 32 .were not only moved downward for such unlatching, but also swung inward toward each other into non-latching position to clear the shoulders 38 on the sleeves 39, then the valves2l would be opened by subsequent hoisting cf the bucket since the accompanying raising of the bail 21 would pull the opening links 33 upward, thereby swinging the unlatched valves 2! to their open positions for gravity discharge of the buckets contents. Without else there would be no distinction in operation between instances in which the bucket was bottomed above water as compared to being bottomed while immersed. In many cases, however, it is just as necessary that the bucket be retained closed when bottomed above water and subsequently hoisted, as it is thatit automatically open when these operations are performed with the bucket immersed. For example, in the ordinary use of such bucket it is loaded with mixed concrete at a mixing plant and then has to be swung on to a flatcar for transport to the point of use. In such case the bucket must not dump its-contents upon being hoisted from the flatcar but must, on the other hand, automatically dump its contents after being lowered to the bottom of a river or the like and'subsequently raised. In accordance with ,thepresent invention a mechanism is provided such that :the =.apparatus automatically distinguishes between instances in which the bucket is bottomed without immersion and bottomed while immersed.

Immersion-responsive means in the form of floats -46 (Figs. 3, 4. .and are arranged to operate, through suitable linkages, to compel reengagement of the latch -members 32 39 upon hoisting of the bucket after :it has been bottomed, except when it is immersed, in .order to accomplish the automatic distinction between conditions noted above. Two floats 4E3 are-provided, located atgdiametrically opposed-sides of the inner shell til, between the lower :portion aGf the latterand the outer casing H. Thezfloats are in the form of tanks sealed for buoyancy and are generally oval in horizontal .cross section (see .Fig. 5). Guide .rods 4'! rigidly attached to the upper ends of the :floats 49 .pass through 11egiste1ting holes 42 in plates 4:3 fixed between the inner and outer shells, :thus confining the floats to movement "in a vertical :direction. Each of the floats is connected to the linkages at the opposite ends of the correspond- Thus at the opposite ing ones 'of the valves :21. extremities of their lower :ends the floats ii] :are pivotally connected by short intermediate links M to the outer ends of ,armsA-Ew-off bell cranks 45. Such'bell cranks havejhub portions-s with i With the floats 4i! connected to the latching links 3.2 through the linkage systems M, 4.5, as described, when the :bucket is .out .of water the floats .49 remain .in their lowered position shown in Fig. '3 so that the :bell cranks 45sare thus urged by the-weight of the floats to turn outward .away from each other. .As a consequence, the latching links .32 are constantly urged :to swing away from each other and 'into engagement with :the cooperating latching sleeves '39. Vertical movement of the bail 21 will :thus cause the latching links 32 to move up :and down with simply a substantially straight line motion so that :although the latch members 32, 39 disengage when the bucket is-bottomed with the floats 46 down,

nevertheless, the latch membersre-iengaged upon subsequent lifting of the :bail .2! and opening of the valves 2.1 isithus prevented. "Whenthe bucket is immersed, however, the floats Q- l tend 'to rise, that is, they tend to pivot the bell cranks 4.5 toward each other and thus :tend .to swing the latching links '32 toward each other and out of position 'for engagement with the respective 'latchingzsleeves 39. Consequently, whenever the bucket is bottomed while immersed, the descent of the bail .2? will ;not :only move the latching I links 32 downward :out of engagement with the sleeves 3Q, but in addition "the floats 4!] will compel the latching links .32 to :swing inward to a non-latching or non-relatching position out of alignment with the shoulders :38 on the sleeves 39, wherefore upon subsequent lifting of :the :bail 21 the latching'links 32 pass ireelyby thesleeves 39 and the opening links .33 :are thus free :to pull the lever arms 36 upward for opening of'the valves 2|.

The operation =-of the apparatus .:herein disclosed "will, :in general, be clear :from the .ioregoing. vBy way of :brief resume, reference .:may be made to the series of stop motion views comprising Figs. '7 to 1:1. 'For loading 'or transport purposes above water, the bucket is set down as shown i Fig. '7. In .such case the :slack .line permits the bail r2! to descend so that the latching links 32 move downward .to the position :illustrated. They are, however, retained in operative relation with respect-to the cooper- ;atingfl'atching sleeves 39 by the floats 4!]. .Accordingly, when the bucket is picked up again .(see Fig. ,8) the latching links 32 move "upward again, thus relatching the sleeves 39. The bucket, either loaded or empty, can thus be picked up and set down :any .-:number .of times above water and'the valves iZl willremain closed, therebypreventing dumping of the .bucketfs contents. Upon arrival of the bucket at the pointof use, it is lowered through the water :as indicated in Fig. .9. Although :the floats 40 tend .to .rise in the latter condition, they are prevented irom doing so :by the latched linkage ,atta'chedto them and the valves 2;| 'remainlatched in their closed position during the descent of the bucket under water. When the bucket is finally bottomed under water, as shown in Fig. 10, the slack line 26 permits the bail 21 to descend so that the latching links 32 move downward. Compare this Fig. 10 with Fig. -'7 as to the positions of the linkages when the bucket is bottomed in and out of water, respectively. The floats It, being 'freed by the unlatching of the linkages, rise .due to their buoyancy and the bell cranks 45 thrust the latching links 32 inward toward each other and out of operative relation with the meeting latching sleeves 39. The latching mechanism isat that point completely free. As soon as the hoist line 26 is tensioned again, the bail "21 is pulled upward, this time to its full extent of upward movement, and the unlatched valves 2! are thereupon swung outward to open position by the opening links 33. This permits Tree gravity discharge of the contents of the bucket -at the desired point of use.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for depositing material under water comprising, in combination, a bucket, means for suspending the same, said bucket having an opening in its bottom for gravity discharge of its contents and a closure for such opening, means for releasably latching said closure in closed position, means operable in response to relief of tension in said suspension means upon setting down the bucket for releasing said latching means and operable alternatively upon retensioning of said suspension means for either relatching said latching means or opening said closure, and immersion-responsive means for conditioning the last-mentioned means for its opening operation when the bucket is immersed and for conditioning the same for its alternatively available relatching operation when the bucket is not immerse-d.

2. In an apparatus of the "type described, the combination-of a'bucket having a closure, means for opening said closure while the bucket is immersed, and means rendering the first-mentioned means operative to open said closure only when bucket is immersed.

3. Apparatus for depositing material under water comprising, in combination, a bucket hav ing a closure, means operable in response to -sequential setting down and raising of the bucket for opening said closure, and means for preventing operation of said last-named means to open said closure except when the bucket is immersed.

4. Apparatus for depositing material under water comprising, in combination, a bucket, means for suspending the same, said bucket having an opening in its bottom for gravity discharge of its contents and a closure for such opening, means for releasably latching said clo-' sure in closed position, means operable in response to relief of tension in said suspension means upon setting down the bucket for releasing said. latching means, and operable alternatively upon retensioning of said suspension means for either relatching said latching means or opening said closure and means including a float movably mounted on the bucket for conditioning the last-mentioned means for its opening operation when the bucket is immersed and for conditioning the same for its alternatively available relatching operation when the bucket is not immersed.

5. Apparatus for depositing material under water comprising, in combination, a bucket having means for suspending the same, said bucket having an opening in its bottom for gravity discharge of its contents and a closure for such opening, a mating pair of latch members for releasably holding said closure in closed position, means operable in response to the application of tension to said suspension means for effecting relative movement of said latch members in a direction generally toward each other, and immersion-responsive means for efiecting a relative shift of said latch members to cause them to pass by each other rather than re-engage upon movement thereof resulting from subsequent application of tension to said suspension means.

6. Apparatus for depositing material under water comprising, in combination, a bucket having means for suspending the same, said bucket having an opening in its bottom for gravity discharge of its contents and a closure for such opening, a mating pair of latch members for releasably holding said closure in closed position, means operable in response to the application of tension to said suspension means for moving one of said latch members generally vertically upward, means connecting the other latch member to said closure, and means including a float movably mounted on the bucket for shifting said one latch member laterally out of alignment with said other latch member to thereby prevent I ber movable by said bail generally vertically toward the first latch member, immersion-responsive means for shifting said second latch mem: ber into position to engage the first latch member upon elevation of the second latch member by the bail when the bucket is not immersed, to thereby lock the closure by engagement of said. latch members and also prevent further upward movement of the bail, said immersionresponsive means also being operable when the bucket is immersed to position said second latch member to pass freely by the first latch member upon raising of the bail, to thereby prevent engagement of said latch members and permit continued upward movement of the bail, and means operable in response to such continued upward movement of the bail for opening said closure.

8. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of a bucket having a bail mounted thereon for limited vertical movement relative to the bucket, said bucket having a gravity discharge opening in its bottom, a closure for such opening pivoted on the bucket to swing about a horizontal axis, a latch member fixed to the closure for turning movement about said axis, a latch link pivotally connected to the bail and depending therefrom in proximity to said latch member and shaped for latching engagement with the latter upon upward movement of the bail from its lowermost position relative to the bucket, the engagement of said latch link and latch member serving to limit the upward movement of the bail to an intermediate position therefor, immersion-responsive means for shifting said latch link laterally of said latch member to clear the latter upon upward movement of the bail when the bucket is immersed, and means for shifting said closure to its open position for discharge of the bucket in response to upward movement of the ball past said intermediate position when said latch link is cleared from said latch member by the immersionresponsive means.

9. An apparatus of the type described, comprising a bucket having rigidly joined inner and outer shells spaced apart in at least their lower portions, said inner shell having a discharge opening in its bottom and a movable closure therefor, a bail of inverted U-shape arranged with its legs projecting downward between the side portions of said inner and outer shells, means for releasably latching said closure in closed position, actuating means including an operating linkage protectively housed between said inner and outer shells and operable by said bail for releasing said latching means and opening said closure in response to sequential bottoming and hoisting of the bucket, and means including a float movably mounted between said shells for preventing opening of said closure by said actuating means except when the bucket is immersed.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprisiing, in combination, a bucket having a bottom opening, a closure for said opening, lifting means for the bucket including a member movable vertically against the action of gravity upon the application of -a lifting force, an operating connection between said member and said closure, latch means restraining movement of tion of a lifting force, an operating connection between said member and said closure, latch means restraining said operating connection against movement for effecting opening of said closure upon application of a lifting forc applied to said member, and immersion-responsive means for disabling said latch means when said lifting means is moved upward relative to the bucket while the latter is immersed.

12. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a bucket having a bottom opening, a closure for said opening, 1ifting means for the bucket including a member movable vertically against the action of gravity upon the application of a lifting force, an operating connection between said member and said closure, releasable latch means operable when engaged for restraining movement of said closure in an opening direction in response to a lifting force applied to said member, said latch means normally being alternatively releasable and engageable in response respectively to de scending and ascending movements of said member relative to said bucket, and means for disabling said latch means against engagement during ascent of said member relative to the bucket.

13. An apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a bucket having a bottom opening, a closure for said opening, lifting means for the bucket including a member having an operating connection with said closure and movable relative to the bucket when the latter is bottomed, latch means for preventing operation of said closure by said lifting means, said latch means including an abutment fixed against movement in a vertical direction relative to the bucket and a coacting latch member movable relative to said abutment by said lifting means, and means for shifting said latch member into a position for movement by said lifting means in a path clear of said abutment.

EDWIN O. MAR'I'INSON. 

